Do I Contribute More When I Trust More? Differential Effects of Cognition- and Affect-Based Trust

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between level of trust and cooperative behaviours in a social dilemma. We argue that this relationship should depend on the basis of trust (cognition‐ versus affect‐based) and on beliefs about the equality of resource endowments. Results supported our prediction that increasing affect‐based trust increases cooperation, but increasing cognition‐based trust to a certain level can reduce cooperation because of free‐riding tendency. Moreover, these effects of trust are stronger for individuals who believed that other group members had more resources than they did. Thus, our study demonstrates that higher levels of trust do not necessarily encourage cooperation. Implications of these findings are discussed.

How Does Project Supervisor Maintain Sustainability of Project Members? A Study from Leadership Perspective

“…Although project supervisor conceptual skill positive affects subordinate innovative behavior, the relationship is not strictly linear according to the findings in Ng and Chua (2006) [13]. As noted above, providing direction, information and ideas might result in excessive trust and psychological dependence, which can lead subordinate to be unwilling to cost time, energy to think new useful solutions of project-related problem.…”

“…Because project supervisor competence of solving problem may lead subordinates to form excessive trust and psychological dependence that hinder project members deeper thought for solutions of completing project [13]. We expect, therefore, that high levels of conceptual with a focus on problem solving would decrease employee motivation to pay effort to solve job-related problems.…”

“…Subordinate's beliefs on the leader's competence were viewed as an important component of cognition-based trust in leader. Several research findings show that cognitive-based trust has limited benefits (e.g., Ng and Chua, 2006 [13]) or even negative consequences (e.g., Kramer, 1999 [33]; Langfred, 2004 [34]). We will discuss the inverted U-shape relationship between cognition-based trust in project supervisor and project member innovative behavior.…”

“…Ng and Chua (2006) [13] proposed that researchers can explain the impact mechanism of cognition-based trust using 'criticality calculation' principle on the basis of social decision heuristics. It refers to have an instrumental quality that include profit maximization and cost minimization (e.g., Weber, 1978 [35]).…”

“…The project member with cognition-based trust in their supervisor will apply 'criticality calculation' principle to allocate their resources [13]. According to this principle, there are two reasons to explain why project members should be indisposition to make contribution to their project supervisor if cognition-based trust in supervisor is low.…”